The present invention relates to the overall mechanical construction of a computer driven printer and, more specifically, the invention is directed to the printer architecture structure. The term "architecture structure" as used herein, refers to the fundamental mechanical spacial organization of the printer.
It is important to insure that the main structural elements of the printer are designed such that mechanical shock loads which may occur during shipment (such as by dropped packages) and the vibrations which occur during printing are transferred efficiently in the architecture to the mechanical components which will absorb them and, where possible to isolate other printer components, so as to minimize the likelihood of damage to the printer as well as vibrations and noise generated during the printing operation.
Computer driven printers typically comprise a chassis and print media moving means on the chassis for moving print media in various directions extending between the front and the rear of the printer. A printer also has a movable carriage and means for moving it transversely to the direction of paper movement. The carriage is usually mounted on a slider rod/slider bar support system and these elements are mounted on chassis structure which is rigidly affixed to a base inside of the exterior case.
Prior art systems, such as the Hewlett Packard Paint Jet XL300 use a relatively rigid base to the top of which is affixed printer chassis structure which comprises a mounting platform for the movable printer elements. The base, chassis structure and printer elements are all rigidly affixed to each other so as to provide a single rigid structure which is then enclosed within a rigid case which is affixed by screws or snap fasteners to the base and printer structure. Although cushioning pads may be employed internally in the case between the case and the chassis-printer structure, the case itself is intended to perform no significant structural function other than its usual function as a cover and enclosure for the internal components. Thus, shocks to the system which may be caused by dropping or jarring by shipping the container are either absorbed by the case or are transmitted from the case to the rigidly attached chassis structure and base so that all vibrations imparted by the case to the chassis structure are in turn directly imparted to the base and structural shocks imparted to the base are directly transmitted therefrom to the rigidly affixed chassis structure and printer elements.
It is an objective of the invention to provide an improved printer architecture structure in which external shocks applied to the case will be damped and absorbed so that shocks first applied from the case to the chassis structure are substantially isolated from the base and shocks first applied from the case to the base are substantially isolated from the chassis structure and moveable printer elements mounted thereon.
It is a further objective of the invention to minimize external vibration and attendant noise generated during printer operation.